Photos copyright 2025 Mattias Lundblad

by Tim Leininger

STORRS — Adaptations of classic plays can be hit or miss for me as for most people, but Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery’s musical version of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It is a pretty harmless adaptation. It’s fun, it playful with a touch of satire, and celebratory of life and love. Connecticut Repertory Theatre has staged an enjoyable production of the show, directed and choreographed by Brandon Kelly, running through Nov. 22 at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre at 2132 Hillside Road, in Storrs, Connecticut.

            One of Shakespeare’s comedies, As You Like It is full of family turmoil and romance as Rosalind (Ella Wolff) flees from her uncle Duke Frederick (Garrett LaBranche) who has usurped his brother (her father) Duke Senior (Amari Ingram). Rosalind hides in the Arden forest disguised as a man with her cousin Celia (Akur) where hopefully she will find her father. Meanwhile, Orlando (Zachary Russell), a local gentleman, has had a falling out with his older brother Oliver (Djanne) has retreated to the forest of Arden also where he has taken refuge with Duke Senior. He also happens to be madly in love with Rosalind. In the classic Shakespearean tradition, since Rosalind is disguised as a man, identities and secrets abound, and hijinks ensue as a shepherdess, Phebe, or Phoebe here, (Gianna Nichols) falls for Rosalind, mistaking her for a man. Meanwhile, another shepherd, Silvius, or in this adaptation, Silvia (Lily Rae O’Neil) is in love with Phoebe.

            Shaina Taub (Suffs) and Laurie Woolery’s musical adaptation abbreviates the play significantly, bringing it down in to a swift 100 minutes or so, this may make things a little more difficult for those who depend on Shakespeare’s use of repetition to understand all of what’s going on, but the benefit is that the lyrics to the songs aren’t in Shakespearean verse, so there’s a tradeoff of sorts. The music’s fine, it’s not as ornate or detailed as Taub’s work on Suffs, but there are some great moments, like the theme for Duke Frederick that stomps in like “The Imperial March” from the Star Wars franchise every time he comes on stage. The play does have several songs already written into it by Shakespeare like “Under the Greenwood Tree” which Taub and Woolery lean into, which is nice to see. I do feel that Jacques’ (Morgan Hrymack) “All the world’s a stage” monologue was short-changed in its song form. The character as a whole has lost his biting, cynical quality for a more reflective but hopeful attitude. That’s not a slight on Hrymack’s performance, she’s perfectly fine in the roll, it’s the change in the writing I disagree with.

            Gender swapping is common in Shakespeare, and the production, like in the example of Jacques, doesn’t shy away from it. But this version leans into it even more. I don’t know how much of it is in the adaptation by Taub and Woolery and how much is Director Kelly’s vision. We have Rosalind’s fool, Touchstone, played by Christopher Cazarin, who gives my favorite performance of the night with, mostly, just the right amount of sarcasm and jocularity. Touchstone is in love with the shepherdess Aubrey, but here Aubrey has been gendered swap to Andy (Brandon Javier Collado). The same happening with Silvius, a male character, changing to Silvia and her relationship with Phoebe, diversifies the gender themes of the play in a simple way that doesn’t come off forced or pandering.

            The cast is overall good. Connecticut Rep uses undergrads in their professional productions, which can sometimes produce a mixed bag in quality, and because they are still students, I appreciate that they’re still learning the craft. There is a noticeable amount of mild discomfort in the more intimate portions of the play, which whatever hangups some of the actors are dealing with will have to learn to get past. Also, whatever the motivation a character has in a scene doesn’t mean the choice of actions should be monochromatic. Don’t just be “mean” or “wistful” or “melancholic.” Look deeper into what the character is doing and why they are making these choices. They tend to be far more complex than what some of the cast were giving their own characters credit for.

Photos copyright 2025 Mattias Lundblad

            There are some good performances as well including the aforementioned Cazarin as Touchstone. Ingram, who is the Equity hire for the production, is a delightfully hopeful Duke Senior. Russell gives Orlando a casual confidence that he mixes with fragile longing once he starts pining for Rosalind, which I like. Wolff carries Rosalind with an appropriate degree of uncertainty mixed with a touch of hope once the character gets into the forest, and Akur’s Celia is absolutely charming in her undying support for her cousin.

            M. L. Fyfe’s scenic design, coupled with Cody Tellis Rutledge’s lighting design for the Arden Forest is fantastic. I love the ethereal, almost otherworldly quality that it presents, creating a blissful hideaway for the protagonists of the play from their pursuers. It also creates a soft, romantic atmosphere for the more romantic sequences.

            As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s better comedies and Connecticut Rep’s production of Taub and Woolery’s adaptation is delightful. Yes, the cast is hit and miss depending upon where they are in their progress as students of the art, but that is to be expected. But that doesn’t detract the show from being an enjoyable production.

AS YOU LIKE IT

TICKETS: https://connecticutrep.uconn.edu

PRODUCTION: A musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery; Music and Lyrics by Shaina Taub; Directed and Choreographed by Brandon Kelly; Scenic Designer: M. L. Fyfe; Lighting Designer: Cody Tellis Rutledge; Costume Designers: Jordan Au, Emma Laura Schreiber; Music Director: Dmitriy Glivinskiy; Sound Designer: Abigail Golec; Props Manager: Gino Costabile; Fight Choreographer: Brad Fraizer; Voice and Text Coach: Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer; Intimacy Director: Lillian Ransijn; Technical Director: Ethan Morgan; Stage Manager: Caelyn Dorsey; Production Manager: Robert E. Copley, Jr.; Production Stage Manager: Alison Savino

CAST

Amari Ingram as Duke Senior

Morgan Hrymack as Jaques

Zachary Russell as Orlando

Djanne as Oliver

Ella Wolff as Rosalind

Akur as Celia

Christopher Cazarin as Touchstone

Garrett LaBranche as Duke Frederick

Lily Rae O’Neil as Silvia

Gianna Nichols as Phoebe

Brandon Javier Collado as Andy

Cipa Frost as Bronco’s Agent, Miss Amiens, Ensemble

Will Naraghi as Adam, Bronco, Ensemble

Tyler Ely as Papa Corin, Ensemble

Aidan McNamara as Frankie Flow, William, Ensemble

Eliza Anderson as Caveman, Martext, Ensemble

Grace Darling as Mama Corin, Hisperia, Ensemble

Liliana McIntosh as Announcer, Referee, Ensemble

Sabatino Cruz, Claire Huebner as Ensemble Understudies